Dungeons & Dragons art & arcana

This collection of Dungeons & Dragons artwork provides a chronicle of the game's past, present and future. As the years passed, the game evolved from a "Satanistic" basement game for weirdos to celebrate a resurgence as a mainstream cultural phenomena. The look of the game evolved, and this visual archive explores the familiar imagery as well as one-of-a-kind rarities. -- adapted from foreword, introduction and back cover. "A deluxe, special edition package containing art prints, ephemera, and the illustrated guide to the history and evolution of the beloved role-playing game as told through the paintings, sketches, and illustrations behind its creation, growth, and continued popularity. From one of the most iconic game brands in the world, this official DUNGEONS & DRAGONS illustrated history provides an unprecedented look at the visual evolution of the brand, showing its continued influence on the worlds of pop culture and fantasy. Inside the book, you'll find more than seven hundred pieces of artwork--from each edition of the core role-playing books, supplements, and adventures; as well as Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance novels; decades of Dragon and Dungeon magazines; and classic advertisements and merchandise; plus never-before-seen sketches, large-format canvases, rare photographs, one-of-a-kind drafts, and more from the now-famous designers and artists associated with DUNGEONS & DRAGONS. The superstar author team gained unparalleled access to the archives of Wizards of the Coast and the personal collections of top collectors, as well as the designers and illustrators who created the distinctive characters, concepts, and visuals that have defined fantasy art and gameplay for generations. This is the most comprehensive collection of D&D imagery ever assembled, making this the ultimate collectible for the game's millions of fans around the world. Contained inside a clamshell featuring original illustrations by superstar D&D artist Hydro74, this special edition includes 10 high-quality prints of classic DUNGEONS & DRAGONS artwork, as well as a pamphlet-sized, unpublished original version of the game's most infamous adventure module and deathtrap Tomb of Horrors, written by DUNGEONS & DRAGONS co-creator Gary Gygax." -- penguinrandomhouse.com

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.